Holder for reading matter



Dec. 29, 1942. i L. c. MWDONALD 0 HOLDER FOR READING MATTER Filed March 12, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor L awrewee C MMPwm/a By @Mm' .4 itomey Dec. 29, 1942. 1.. c. MaCDQNALD 2,306,634

HOLDER FOR READING MATTER Filed March 12, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor A ye/Qua 6 Mae Zara! By W A ttoruq 1' Patented Dec. 29, 1942 UNETED STATEE iiATEh-i'i" QEFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in holders for reading matter, such as speeches, lectures, and notes, and the principal object in View is to provide a simply constructed, inexpensive device for desk use, or for holding in the hand, to contain a rolled up speech, or other like manuscript, and which is operative to unroll the speech or manuscript so that it can be easily followed in delivery of the same, either by continuous reading, or by intermittent reference thereto as desired.

Another object is to provide a holder for the purposes above set forth which is operative to reverse the direction in which a speech is unrolled, and which is equipped for easy attachment to and detachment from a microphone pedestal so that it is readily available by a radio announcer or other acting in a similar capacity.

Other and subordinate objects are also comprehended by my invention, all of which, together with the precise nature of my improvement will be readily understood, when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a View in perspective of a preferred embodiment of my invention,

Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a view in transverse section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section illustrating a modification of the invention, and

Figure 5 is a view in elevation illustrating a modified form of roller.

Reference being had to the drawings by numerals, and first to Figures 1 to 3, my improved holder comprises, as its basic element, an elongated, rectangular, open-top casing of any suitable light, strong material provided adjacent each end 2 of the same with a pair of opposed edge slots 3 in the sides 4 thereof extending downwardly in said sides and having lower ends 5 turned toward the transverse center of the casing I to provide sockets 6 opening toward the ends of said casing.

A pair of rollers I are mounted in the sockets 6 of each pair of slots 3 for rotation in the casing I in transversely extending position relative thereto, said rollers having reduced axial end spindles 8 adapted to be inserted downwardly in the slots 3 and laterally into said sockets 6, the spindles being provided with hand grip knobs 9 on the outer ends thereof for rotating the rollers at will.

Extending across the casing I, intermediate the rollers i, is a sight plate I9, spanning the edges of the sides 4 and having right angled, side flanges II secured to said sides as by studs I2. An elongated sight slot Iii is provided in the plate Ill extending across said casing i.

The rollers I are designed for the rolling thereon of a strip it of written, or printed, matter containing a speech, lecture, program, or notes, which strip is wound on roller and with one end attached to the other roller for winding up on the latter to feed the strip beneath the sight plate I 0.

Suitable attaching clips, not shown, for instance, of the split ring type, may be applied around the center of each roller 1 to attach the ends of the strip I4 to said rollers.

Extending along the bottom I5 of the casing I inside the same and under the rollers I, in the longitudinal center of the casing, is a strip-like spring I6 attached upon opposite sides of its transverse center as by screws IT to a spacer plate I8 suitably secured to the bottom I5 or the casing I. The spring I6 is provided with upturned, curved ends I9 curving around and bearing against the rollers I, or the strip I4 thereon, as the case may be, and reacting upwardly and inwardly of the casing so as to yieldingly retain the spindles 8 in the sockets 6. Preferably said curved ends I9 have out-turned terminals 2! to prevent the same from tearing the strip I4. Also said ends I9 are preferably 1 forked in construction to straddle the before mentioned clips, not shown, during initial winding of the strip M on either roller.

Suitably attached to each end 2 of the casing I is a wedge-shaped socket member 2| for the insertion therein from the bottom of the casing upwardly of a similarly shaped plate 22 having a short shank 23 to which is suitably fixed one end of a flexible anchoring cable 24 having its other end provided with a, clip 25 adapted to be clamped by a wing bolt 25 to the pedestal 2! of a microphone, or other similar, relatively fixed part.

In the modification shown in Figure 3, in lieu of the spring :6, a pair of short leaf springs, one of which is shown at 28, may be used for each roller, said springs being attached, as at 29, to the ends 2 of the casing I and having downturned, curved opposite ends, as at bearing against the spindles of the related roller to retain the latter in the sockets 6, the arrangement being such that said springs 28 may be flexed downwardly by insertion of the spindles 8 downwardly in said slots 3 to thereby permit the spindles to enter the sockets 6.

As shown in Figure 5, a roller 3| comprising a pair of telescopic sections 32 may be used for adjustment in a manner which will be clear in accordance with casings I of diiferent widths.

The manner in which the described holder is used and operated will be readily understood from the foregoing. The strip I4 is unwound from one roller onto the other to pass the same beneath the sight slot [3 for reading therethrough. The casing I may be held in the hand or deposited on a desk, or pulpit. The springs IE, or 28, as the case may be, function to keep the rollers I, or 3|, in the sockets 6 and act as brakes preventing too free rotation of said rollers.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly the invention is susceptible of modification in other respects than as herein set forth, and right is reserved to such other modifications as fall within the scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. A holder for a strip of printed or written matter comprising a rectangular open top shallow casing having ends and sides, said sides having a pair of opposed edge notches therein adjacent each end of the container extending downwardly into said sides and terminating in laterally offset sockets extending toward the transverse center of the casing, a pair of rollers in said casing extending between the pairs of notches, respectively, and having end spindles rotatable in the sockets of said pairs, one roller for containing the strip wound thereon and the other roller for rotation to wind said strip thereon from the other roller, spring means confining said spindles in said sockets, said spring means comprising a single leaf spring extending centrally along the bottom of said casing under said rollers and having upturned ends reacting toward the outer sides of said rollers, respectively, to urge the spindles into the sockets, and simultaneously frictionally engage the strip portions wound on said rollers to prevent said strip from sagging between the rollers.

2. A holder for a strip of printed or written matter comprising a rectangular open top shallow casing having ends and sides, said sides having a pair of opposed edge notches therein adjacent each end of the container extending downwardly into said sides and terminating in laterally offset sockets extending toward the transverse center of the casing, a pair of rollers in said casing extending between the pairs of notches, respectively, and having end spindles rotatable in the sockets of said pairs, one roller for containing the strip wound thereon and the other roller for rotation to wind said strip thereon from the other roller, spring means confining said spindles in said sockets, said spring means comprising a single leaf spring extending centrally along the bottom of said casing under said rollers and having upturned ends reacting toward the outer sides of said rollers, respectively, to urge the spindles into the sockets and simultaneously frictionally engage the strip portions wound on said rollers to prevent the strip from sagging between the rollers, said upturned ends being slotted to straddle strip fastening devices secured to said rollers.

LAWRENCE C. MACDONALD, 

